Connections
by theBrillianceofNight
Summary: Nobody wants to be forced to marry someone they might not even know, but the situation is a little different when you've known from birth. Now imagine that you've lived your whole life with it and then something else pops up and now lots of other people are in the same situation and they're COMPLAINING. What would you do? 7th year, AU, bit of a crack!fic.


"Can you believe it?" Hermione hissed as she walked into Potions, mind focused on the Daily Prophet she held in a white-knuckled grip.

"And you're not even affected by it," Ron groaned.

The new development had made the front page. The Ministry had need to ensure that Pureblooded families had no ties to Voldemort. Thus, they matched up the most unlikely of pairs, in hopes to make sure a Death Eater supporting bloodline would recant in order to protect their offspring.

Hermione, as a Muggleborn witch, had nothing to fear.

Ron and Harry, on the other hand, were not so fortunate.

Still, Hermione took it upon herself to be angry on the behalf of her boys.

Malfoy was not impressed.

"So sorry that your hopes and dreams of marrying the Weasel were crushed," he drawled. "Well, not really." He smirked.

Hermione groaned in exasperation, taking her assigned seat next to the Slytherin.

"Aren't you the least bit aggravated?" she asked, pulling out her textbook and quill.

"I have no need to be," he answered simply, raising an eyebrow condescendingly.

Later that night in the Common Room, Hermione pulled out a book on old Wizarding bloodlines, hoping to gain some insight into Malfoy's complacency.

She found it in the section about Oaths. Betrothals were common between allied families who had money and stature to protect. These betrothals could not be dissolved except by the express decree of all parties whose blood were on the documents. That usually included both parents as well as both children, but in some cases could be simplified to a single parent from each house and the blood of the offspring involved.

At that point, Harry came running into the room with a horrified expression, Ron not far behind him.

"Have they published the match-ups?" she inquired, taking in their pale faces.

Ron's knees buckled and he collapsed onto the carpet. Harry was not much better.

"Malfoy," he whimpered. "It's Malfoy."

Hermione's eyebrows disappeared into her hairline.

Ron swore colorfully. "How?"

Hermione overheard from another loud exchange that copies of the contracts were available in the Great Hall for any who felt that their was a viable mistake somewhere along the lines.

This clamoring procession soon included a frizzy-haired brunette, a livid redhead, and a ghoulishly pale Boy-Who-Lived.

Hermione forced the boys to wait outside of the Hall as she dove into the throng and fished out the correct papers. She took them with her up to the Common Room and went straight to her dorm room, knowing her friends would be unable to follow.

An hour or so later, she descended with a few pages in her hands. She was rather composed, and the sight helped to soothe Harry and Ron.

To start, she smiled weakly. "Your mother was a cunning witch."

Harry stared without comprehension.

"She found a way to create a contract even without a current heir."

"With Malfoy's parents?" Ron yelped.

Hermione tsked. "She was cunning, but she wasn't completely insane either. You said she and Snape were friends when they were young, yes?"

Harry nodded slowly.

"So your mother somehow got both Snape and your father to sign a contract in blood that would ensure that you would be married to Snape's descendant."

"Would that even be possible without using Dark curses?" Ron wondered aloud, still shuddering violently.

Hermione shook her head. "I don't know, but what I do know is that Severus Snape was the godfather of Draco Lucius Malfoy. Thus, as Snape had no children of his own, the next best would be the child who would be his if the parents died. That is how you are to be married to Draco Malfoy."

Ron gagged. "Surely there's a way to reverse it—"

Harry cringed. "But Snape is dead now."

Hermione paused. "But Malfoy didn't seem to be dreading this; in fact, he seemed rather satisfied. Is it possible that he already has a contract?"

"Would they cancel out?" Harry asked.

"The one that was made first will be the one to go into effect," Hermione murmured, running possibilities through her head.

At dinner, Malfoy was looking particularly smug. The whole Hall fell into shocked silence, however, when Malfoy strode over the Gryffindor table and held a hand out to Ronald Bilius Weasley.

Ron sputtered in disgust while Malfoy simply smirked. "I thought it would be nice to get to know a distant cousin of mine," he said. He turned to Ginny and nodded his greeting. Ginny returned the nod rather stiffly.

"C-cousin?" Ron stammered.

"Yes, through your father _and_ your mother, through blood and through marriage. Didn't you know? All of the oldest bloodlines are connected at some point, although many of those bloodlines have fallen," Malfoy sniffed imperiously, "into disgrace."

Ron stood up in rage. "How _dare you—_"

Malfoy put a heavy hand on his shoulder and shoved Ron back into a seated position. "_As I was saying_, all families are connected. Not my choice; after all, that also means I'm related to Harry bloody Potter," he spat. "Fuck, I'm even related to Longbottom!"

Hermione gasped across the table, but Ron was too angry to even notice Harry's hand grabbing his elbow.

"And so that means that I get to marry a lovely pureblood witch, unless the Ministry decides to condone incest," Malfoy sneered. "After all, that's why Mudbloods appear, right?" Ron had to be held back by Harry, who was furious himself.

"At least all the inbreeding hasn't resulted in the unfortunate priggish traits that seem to haunt so many of those 'ancient', 'honored' bloodlines," Ron spat.

Malfoy shrugged. "I'll remember that for next time, _cousins_."

The three friends and the rest of the hall watched in frozen shock as Malfoy exited the room, then all tables, including the teacher's table, burst into agitated whispers.

One thing was sure though.

For the rest of the night, the new law was forgotten.

Within the next few days, the law was repealed.

Ron and Harry couldn't look anywhere near Draco's general direction for the rest of the week.

And Malfoy laughed long and hard.

Because, after all, it was very likely that that 'lovely pureblood witch' was related to him too.


End file.
